65+ lbs overweight: Tried it all but won’t give up
CincyTim
Posts: 26 Member
I’m sure there are others out there that feel what I feel- frustrated. Between the limited solid nutritional information , fad diets, and marketers who feed off our desperation; I find myself running laps with my weight loss. For every 20lbs I lose I end up gaining 30lbs.
Looking to make friends with those that have been there and those that are also fed up with “playing the game” and are ready to seriously lose their weight for good. Lets do this.
Looking to make friends with those that have been there and those that are also fed up with “playing the game” and are ready to seriously lose their weight for good. Lets do this.
7
Replies
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Hi Tim. I'll send you a friend request. I've lost about 60lb and have about 30 to go. Like you, I go one step forward and two steps back. It's been a long and slow process but I'm on my (latest) roll now. There's no feeling as bad as having achieved and then undone it and having to start again. I'm determined not to do that this time. Lyn5
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I’m sure there are others out there that feel what I feel- frustrated. Between the limited solid nutritional information , fad diets, and marketers who feed off our desperation; I find myself running laps with my weight loss. For every 20lbs I lose I end up gaining 30lbs.
Looking to make friends with those that have been there and those that are also fed up with “playing the game” and are ready to seriously lose their weight for good. Lets do this.
Hi Tim. Good luck! You seem determined which is a great way to be. Here's what works for me:
Aim for 5-7 servings of fruit and vegetables per day, plenty of protien, and some quality carbs like whole grain bread or brown rice. 8 cups of water + 1 hour of moderate exercise daily. Limit added sugar and processed foods- whole foods are typically more nutritious. Count calories carefully by using a food scale. Calories in VS calories out is the bottom line, but the foods which make up an eating plan should be diverse and accomodating to taste as well because weight loss is a SLOW process. Seasonings can cheer up a lean dish. Many low calorie adapted versions of home cooking favorites can be found online, so experiment and see what works for you. And finally, allow yourself to feel mildly hungry between eating periods. I couldn't tell you the science of this but it's helped me be able to "read" my appetite more clearly and respond with positive choices.3 -
We are human, we all feel that, we've all been through, or fight, that. When we're honest with ourselves, we know what is solid information.I’m sure there are others out there that feel what I feel- frustrated. Between the limited solid nutritional information , fad diets, and marketers who feed off our desperation; I find myself running laps with my weight loss. For every 20lbs I lose I end up gaining 30lbs.2 -
I was in the same yo yo cycle until I started to understand that weight loss, and more importantly maintenance, is a lifelong commitment. You sound like you know how to lose weight, but struggle with maintaining it when you get to a goal weight.
Starting to think about maintenance now moggy be a good idea - I also found eating in a sustainable way better as maintenance was no different to what I had been doing. In previous weight loss attempts, where I ended up putting weight back on, I was always "on" or "off" a diet.3 -
Thanks to all who have replied. I know I am the only one that can control what goes in my mouth and how active I am throughout the day. With this knowledge it is even more disappointing when I fall short. Not this time. I’ve got this.4
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Hi Tim, I've added you as you sound exactly like me! It will be good to support each other. Anyone else on this thread, please feel free to add me.0
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Your last comments are great. You can do this1
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Hi have you tried keto ? Everything else was failing to get my weight down the last 20lb I’ve been on keto a week and down 3 lb it’s a diet I can live on too .2
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If you’ve tried it all, what was your experience with a food diary? I mean a food diary where you log everything, good, bad, or ugly. Why didn’t that work for you?
If you calculated a moderate deficit, say aimed at 1 lb per week, were you able to live within those limits? If not, why not? If you couldn’t do that, why didn’t you try for 1/2 lb per week?
A calorie deficit over time will work. Have you tried it all or everything else but that? Most people get hung up by the time it takes to lose, is that you?
And media, advertising etc- when I started to focus on a food diary, I was surprised by how much nonsense in my own head kept trying to jerk me away. Most of it was from advertising.
But also media misstatements of scientific studies. They turn it all into clickbait. And what they report on Monday they will contradict by Thursday. They love that.4 -
I found that tracking made me more accountable. That’s when it really started rolling for me. I lost 115 lbs. 8 1/2 years ago but gained back 20 while in Grad. school😩. I’m at it again!
You’ve got this!!💪2 -
Hi have you tried keto ? Everything else was failing to get my weight down the last 20lb I’ve been on keto a week and down 3 lb it’s a diet I can live on too .
I have tried Keto and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately I have a heart condition and my cardiologist is not a fan of the diet given my already elevated cholesterol. Good for you though. We’re all built different and if it works for you I say cheers!2 -
If you’ve tried it all, what was your experience with a food diary? I mean a food diary where you log everything, good, bad, or ugly. Why didn’t that work for you?
If you calculated a moderate deficit, say aimed at 1 lb per week, were you able to live within those limits? If not, why not? If you couldn’t do that, why didn’t you try for 1/2 lb per week?
A calorie deficit over time will work. Have you tried it all or everything else but that? Most people get hung up by the time it takes to lose, is that you?
And media, advertising etc- when I started to focus on a food diary, I was surprised by how much nonsense in my own head kept trying to jerk me away. Most of it was from advertising.
But also media misstatements of scientific studies. They turn it all into clickbait. And what they report on Monday they will contradict by Thursday. They love that.
All great points. I have tried food logging in the past. In all honesty I stopped logging because I did not want to come to grips with my own failings. By not logging and not having a record to hold me accountable it let me freestyle my way through the day. I’m not here to make excuses. I’m here to get fit and healthy. You’re absolutely right in that an honest food log tells the story. I got this. We got this.2 -
Hi have you tried keto ? Everything else was failing to get my weight down the last 20lb I’ve been on keto a week and down 3 lb it’s a diet I can live on too .
I have tried Keto and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately I have a heart condition and my cardiologist is not a fan of the diet given my already elevated cholesterol. Good for you though. We’re all built different and if it works for you I say cheers!
Hi, I’m new here. I am trying keto because I just run better in low carbs. I am not a fan of all the fat tho. I do eat more lean protein then suggested . I lost all my sugar snackfood cravings in two days. 6 days in lost 5 lbs . I have chronic pain so I exercise gently . If it jump starts you that’s great! Then you can ease into a more practical lifestyle? ✊🏻😁 congrats on your efforts and doing something amazing for yourself2 -
I’m sure there are others out there that feel what I feel- frustrated. Between the limited solid nutritional information , fad diets, and marketers who feed off our desperation; I find myself running laps with my weight loss. For every 20lbs I lose I end up gaining 30lbs.
Looking to make friends with those that have been there and those that are also fed up with “playing the game” and are ready to seriously lose their weight for good. Lets do this.
I arrived at where you are last year. I log every bite and own my mistakes as well as my victories, by logging everything. After a year of losing an average of 1 pound per week, I was able to add some exercise and have just started biking 3-4 times per week, since a walking effort led to tendonitis I'm still recovering from. I still have not lost half of the necessary weight to be a normal size, but am getting close now. Yet, when I climbed on the scale a few minutes ago after an entirely victorious week the scale is up! I don't let these weeks defeat me (in fact I won't even report it since I know I should have lost with the excellent week I've had), but will continue to maintain an at or near 500 calorie a day deficit, knowing there is more to what the scale says than what my very honest log reveals.
This isn't a victory which is won overnight, over a week, or even over a year, but over a lifetime. It has just taken me most of my life to figure that out. Onward! I hope you will join me, by ignoring the gimmicks and just eating to live using a wholesome diet suited for body size and activity level.2 -
Tim- starting at 285lbs I was stuck at around 215-220lbs for years. In desperation I joined Weight Watchers. Not a plug, but an indication of my mental state at the time.
But WW was where I learned tracking. That’s what they call a food diary. I tracked for 5 years. When my weight started to creep up without tracking, I went back to it. It took a lot of effort to reboot.
But I’ve done the diary/tracking 3 times now and it’s worked every time. I haven’t been over 186lbs in nearly 12 years.
I’ve also been to 100s of WW meetings. I only quit when we moved 2 years ago. I’ve heard 100s of stories of what not to do.
This is classic food diary fail- make a mistake. Instead of putting a number on it and recording it, say “I’ve blown it today. I’ll start again tomorrow.”
Tomorrow comes. Say “Well, I’ve really blown this week. I’ll start again next week.” Start again in 3 months.
In 5+ years of tracking I’ve eaten over my number lots of times. I’ve done face plants in dessert tables. I tried to write it all down. I never told myself I had cheated or was off my program. Because my program was the diary.
It’s not possible to do mistake free weight loss. Poor planning, loss of concentration, fatigue, misread or misunderstood menus, even math mistakes- lots of ways to make mistakes. But the only way not to keep a diary is to decide not to do it. Don’t know the numbers for that meal or dish? Make a good faith estimate. Forget to log stuff in? Go back and do your best. Never quit. Good luck.5 -
Thank you everyone that’s posted for their inspirational stories. You rock✌️0
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Quick question to the “pros” out there. How detailed are you with you lr logging? I’ve seen some people out there that record each ingredient down to the last ounce of cumin.0
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Quick question to the “pros” out there. How detailed are you with you lr logging? I’ve seen some people out there that record each ingredient down to the last ounce of cumin.
The only things I don't log are spices (unless I'm cooking in bulk and using measurable quantities), diet drinks, sugar free gum (rarely have it, if I ate more than a couple of pieces I would). Anything weighable is weighed, otherwise I use measuring cups.1 -
Hi have you tried keto ? Everything else was failing to get my weight down the last 20lb I’ve been on keto a week and down 3 lb it’s a diet I can live on too .
I have tried Keto and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately I have a heart condition and my cardiologist is not a fan of the diet given my already elevated cholesterol. Good for you though. We’re all built different and if it works for you I say cheers!
Hope you find something that helps you 👍 good luck 😉1 -
Tracking everything is a great way to get started and keep you accountable. It really gives you a visual of what you are consuming on a day to day basis. Track EVERYTHING because once you see the numbers it will make you think twice about cheating. I suggest not thinking there is a one size fits all diet or workout plan because there isn't. Diets will only give you short term results. Try to focus more on making it a lifestyle so you get long term results. Find foods that you enjoy that are healthy. Find workouts that you enjoy so you don't have to psych yourself up to workout you look forward to it. If you have a family get everyone involved. It will make it a lot easier if everyone around you is living the way you are. Just my personal opinion but I say avoid the gym and get outside. Hiking, biking, walking, running, kayaking anything that gets you outdoors makes fitness way more enjoyable. The scenery always changes and it never gets boring. Feel free to add me I don't track my food as often as I should but I have open diary and healthy recipes. I always post my family adventures and I always encourage people to join us if they live in the area. Best of luck!!!1
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